Coating material spraying apparatus



Sept. 23, 1 941. FLEMlNG 2,257,004

COATING MATERIAL SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed. Oct. 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 11v VENTOR 171622724 6)" )7: fielzyzzz A T TORNE Y Patented Sept. 23, 1941 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COATING; MATERIAL SPRAYING APPARATUS Alexander M. Fleming, Grosse Pointe, Mich., as-

signor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Micln, a corporation Delaware Application October 7, 1938, Serial No. 233,704

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in paint spraying devices.

More particularly, the invention pertains to the provision in paint spraying apparatus of mechanism by which coating materials of various colors or kinds may be selectively discharged from the same spray gun.

Difiiculty is experienced in production painting of articles, such as automobile bodies, with paints of various colors, inasmuch as it is necessary to manually uncouple the spray discharge gun from a hose conveying paint of one color, clean the paint discharge passage of the gun and then couple the gun to a hose conveying paint of another color. This uncoupling and coupling of the spray gun to accommodate spraying of paint of various colors necessitates a loss of time, additional labor and a consequent slowing up of the production line schedule. In some instances, a plurality of spray guns are provided,

each of which is continuously coupled with a hose for one of the more widely used colors, but this system entails a considerable investment in paint spray equipment.

One of the main objects of the invention is to overcome these difdculties by providing an improved surface coating material spraying apparatus which can be quickly conditioned toselectively discharge any one of a plurality of different coating materials from a single spray A further object of the invention is the provision in apparatus of this kind for flushing and cleaning of the spray gun and those passages of the apparatus through which differently colored coating materials flow, immediately before a change is made in the color of the coating material being discharged.

'Another object of the invention is the provision of selective valve mechanism which has a single control member by which it may be conditioned to clean the spray gun and associated discharge passages of the apparatus and to discharge coating materials of different colors respectively.

A further object of the invention is the provision in valve mechanism of this kind of cleaning medium ports between each'pair of successive coating material ports in order to accommodate conditioning of the valve mechanism for cleaning operations without requiring movement of the control member to or beyond the next successive coating material discharging position adjacent which it is disposed.

provision in selective valve mechanism of this kind of means, operable by the control member, for individually releasably obstructing the flow of coating material of each kind or color when not in use; to provide means of this kind which is so constructed and arranged as to prevent the application on the relatively movable parts of the selecting mechanism of the pressure of more than one of the different coating material pressure lines at any time; and to provide selective valve mechanism which, because of the relatively low pressure to which it is subjected, can be efiectively and conveniently sealed against leakage without excessively raising the force required to effect manual selective adjustments thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a rear elevational view of a spraying apparatus valve mechanism embodying the invention. a portion of the casing thereof being broken away to show underlying structure.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view ofthe spraying apparatus valve mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and showing the selector member at one of its stations.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and illustrating, the manner in which a spray gun is connected with the improved selective valve mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately as indicated by the line 44 of In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the improved selective valve mechanism I0 is illustrated in connection with a paint spray apparatus although it is to be under-.

stood that this mechanism may be used to accomplish selective controlling of the passage of a plurality of different substances. 7

The valve mechanism I0 comprises a base II to which is detachably secured a dish-like mounting member l2 which has ten equi-distant radially extending passages I3 which communicate with each other at their origin, although any number of radial passages may be used. The plate I2 is provided with circumferentially arranged series of apertures l4, l5 and [6; the apertures It being located adjacent the periphery of the plate [2, the apertures i4 being located Additional objects of the invention are the 5 adjacent the base. and the apertures l5 (best shown in Fig. 4) being disposed radially between the series of apertures l4 and I3.

Secured to the inner face of the dish-like member |2, as by screws I1, is a casing |3 to which is detachably secured a cover l3. The casing II has a central bore 23 and is provided with a series of weight-reducing recesses 2|. The casing |3 further comprises a flange portion 22 having a series of axially extending coating and cleaning material valve chambers 23 and 23' respectively formed therein, each in alignment with one of the apertures l3 of themounting member l2. The right-hand face of the casing |3 has an annular beveled valve seat 24 and an adjacent annular groove 23. Passages 23 extending through the casing l3 communicate at one end with the groove 25 and at their other ends with tubes 21 which project through the apertures l4 and are threaded in the left extremities of the passages 23. The outer extremities of the tubes 21 are closed by caps 23 which may be removed to accommodate draining of the groove 25 and passages 23.. Formed in the flange 22 and adjacent portions of the casing |3 are a series' of radially extending coating and cleaning material passages 29 and 23'. Each of the passages 23 opens through the valve seat 24 and extends to one of the coating material valve chambers 23 and each passage 23 also opens through the valve seat 24 and extends to one of the cleaning material valve chambers 23'. There are provided two coating material valve chambers 23 and associated, passages 23 between each pair of cleaning material valve chambers 23' and associated passages 23' respectively.

' Each cleaning material valve chamber 23' is communlcatively connected with one of the radial passages l3 by a conduit 33, one of the conduits 30 being provided with an inlet branch 33' through which paint solvent such as paint thinner or the like is supplied to the device. Differently colored paints or different kinds of coating material may be fed to each valve chamber 33 by conduits 3 communicatingwith the interior thereof.

In each of the valve chambers 23 and 23' is a sleeve 3| having an aperture 32 registering with the passages 23 and 23' and in which valves 33 and 33' respectively are slidably mounted to control the aperture 32. Each of the valves 33 and 33 are slid-ably supported within the aperture l3 of the member l2. A spring 31 is interposed between an abutment 33 on each valve 33 and 33' and the member |2 to yieldingly urge the valves 33 and 33' to their closed positions. Suitable threaded sealing means such as those indicated at 33 may be employed to seal the ends of the valve chambers 33 and 33'.

To selectively control the passage of paint from the inner ends of the passages 23 and cleaning material from the inner ends of the passages 23', a rotary valve, generally designated by the numeral 43, is mounted adjacent the right side of the casing l3, as viewed in Fig. 3, between the latter and its cover Is. The valve 43 comprises spindle portions 43 and 43. The spindle portion 43 is journalled in the bore 23 of the casing i3 and the spindle portion 43' is journalled in a bearing 34 mounted in the casing cover l3. The

valve 43 further includes an annular beveled ter with inner ends of the passages 23 and 23' and is communlcatively connected with a spray discharge device 33 by a flexible hose 33. A suitable sealing member such as a felt ring 43 is interposed between the valve 43 and the casing II to prevent fluid escaping inwardly from groove 23.

The cover "has an annular groove 33 in its inner side which receives any leakage of fluid escaping from the valve seat 24, the fluid from the seat being drained or pumped through pas-v sages such as a passage 33 (best shown in Fig. 4) and through a capped threaded tube 31 extending through the aperture ll of the member l2. The cover l3 further includes an annular groove 53 from which extend a series of circumferentially spaced recesses 33. Mounted in the groove 53 is a thrust bearing unit 33 which is urged against the valve 43 by springs 3| and plungers 32 disposed in the recesses 33. The springs 3| bear between the plungers and an abutment 33 which is adapted to be adjustabiy positioned by a set screw 34. An annular sealing ring 33 is interposed between the cover l3 and the valve 45 to prevent the fluid within the groove 33 from escaping inwardly to come in contact with the bearing unit 33 and the surrounding mechanism. Fixed to the rightwardly face of the cover l3, as viewed in Fig. 3, is an annular ring 33 having indicia 31 as shown in Fig. 2 to indicate to the operator whether that position is to admit paint solvent into the valve passage 43 or whether it is to admit a certain color of paint.

Any suitabie'selective control member is provided to rotate the valve 43 and to open one of the individual valves 33 at a time such as the control member generally indicated by the numeral 13. This control member 13 comprises an arm 1| having a split end portion 12 which is non-rotatably and detachably secured to the external end of the spindle portion 43' of the valve 43. Th arm 1| has a central opening 13 which is adapted to register with the indicia 31 during rotation of the arm 1| to permit observation thereof by the operator when the mechanism is set at its various stations. An index flnger member 14, preferably secured to the arm 1 I, registers with the indicia 31. The arm 1| has a head on its free extremity in which is provided a bore 13 for receiving a plunger 3|. which is normally urgedrightwardly, as viewed in Fig. 3, by a spring 3|. The left end of the plunger 3| is adapted to register with the right extremities of the valves 33 and 33'. An operating lever 11 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 13 on a pair of spaced flanges 13 extending rightwardly from the head of the arm 1| as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The extremity of the end portion 33 of the lever 11 is adapted to engage and urge the plunger 3| leftwardly when the lever 11 is turned in a clockwise direction from its dotted line position 32 to its full line position, as viewed in Fig. 3. When the handle 11 is swung outwardly to a position indicated at 32 in Fig. 3, the plunger 3| is spring-urged away from the end portion of the valve 33 or 33 with which it registers. thereby urging the valve 33 to its closed condition by the spring 31 When the lever 11 is in this position, it may be rotated together with the valve 43 about the axis of the latter to bring the plunger 3| into registration with any of the valvu 33 and 33 and, as this is done, the outer end of the passage 43 is brought into communication with the passage 23 or'23' corresponding to the the plunger 8| has embodiment of the invention, when the operator rotates the valve 48 so that the index finger ll registers with a desired coating material color indicia, the rotary valve passage 48 is in communication with a corresponding passage 28 of the casing l8. Thereupon the operator swings the handle ll to its full line position shown in Fig. 3 so that the engaging end portion 80 of the handle 11 moves the plunger 8| to open the corresponding selected valve 83 to admit a selected color of coating material to the passage 48 from which it is supplied to the spraying apparatus. when the operator desires to change to another color of paint, he swings the handle IT to its position of 82 in Fig. 3 so that the spring 81 may urge'the valve 88 to its closed position to stop the flow of paint to the valve 45. He then preferably rotates the arm ll until the index finger l4 registers with one of the paint remover or thinner indicia, and then moves the handle H to its full line position of Fig. 3 so that one of the thinner valves 88' is opened to discharge paint thinner or the like through the common valve passage 48 and through the passages of the spray gun apparatus 85. At the same time, the operator opens the valve in the spray gun 85 to spray out the paint and the paint thinner within the passage 48, hose 86 and paint discharge passage of the spray gun so as to thoroughly clean and flush out such passages after coating material of one color has been sprayed and before spraying of coating material of another color. Next, he rotates the arm ll until the index finger registers with the next color of paint desired, and this rotates the valve 45 to the proper position to accommodate the passage of the newly selected color of paint. Then the operator swings the handle I1 to its position of Fig. 3 so that the proper paint valve 33 is opened to admit the selected paint through the proper paint passages 29 to the valve passage 48.

The improved spraying apparatus quickly accommodates selective passage of paint of various colors to a single spray discharge device and by providing a cleaning material outlet port on each side of each pair of coating material ports, the operator is required to move the control member a distance of only one station to condition the device for flushing arid cleaning between spraying of different colors of material. This is particularly advantageous in production painting of automobile bodies, for example, inasmuch as one operator can conveniently paint vehicle bodies with paints of different colors with a single spray gun without requiring coupling and uncoupling of individual hoses which supply the various paints. This effects a substantial saving in time and labor, particularly since the improved spraying apparatus accommodates efficient cleaning of .the common spray passages between selection of paints. By reason of the aforestated advantages, the improved apparatus is readily adaptable for controlling the pasvalve 45 is very slight and it is possible to have a satisfactory sealed spray apparatus.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention is herein -shown and described, it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may-be made without departing from the spirit'of the invention.

Iclaim:

1. Selective valve mechanism for controlling the discharge of a plurality of different fluids comprising a casing having a body portion provided with a plurality of passages each having pressure of more than one of the paint lines.

Consequently,-the effort required to rotate the an inner end opening in said casing, a movable valve element in said casing having a valve seat for closing the inner ends of said passages and having a passage therein comprising an inner open extremity adapted for selective communication with the passages of said body portion and an external end portion for conveying fluid from said casing, a valve in each of said passages for normally closing the latter in advance of said valve seat, a combinedhandle and control element for moving said valve element and opening the valves of the passages of said body portion respectively, said handle and control element being so constructed and arranged with respect to the inner openextremity of the passage in said movable valve element as to operate upon only the valve of that passage of said body portion which is in communication with the passage of said movable valve element.

cleaning materials under pressure; mechanism for selectively supplying differently colored coating materials and cleaning material to said gun comprising a casing having a body portion provided with a plurality of passages for conveying differently colored coating materials and a passage for conveying a cleaning material, means for supplying coating and cleaning materials to said passages respectively, a movable element in said casing having a passage selectively communicatively connectable atone end with each of said passages of said body portion, a valve in each of said passages normally closing the same in advance of said movable element, means for connecting the other end of said passage to said spray gun, and a control member operatively connected with said movable .element for selectively bringing the passage of the latter into communication with any of said body portion passages, said control member including a manually operable valve selecting and opening lever portion and a valve opening element operable thereby so constructed and arranged with respect to the passage of said movable element that said valve opening element registers with and is adapted to open only the valve of said body portion passage which is in communication with said passage of said movable member.

3. In coating material spraying mechanism including a spray gun; mechanism for selectively supplying differently colored coating materials and cleaning material to said gun comprising a casing having a body portion provided with athe same, a movable valve element rotatablyits stations to an adjacent station, a control member operatively connected with said movable valve element for selectively positioning the latter to bring its passage into communication with any 01 said body portion passages, said control member including means for opening the valve of that passage 01' said body portion with which the passage oi! said movable valve element is connected.

4. In coating material spraying mechanism "including a spray gun; mechanism for selectively supplying a plurality of diflerently colored coating materials to said gun including a casing having an annular valve seat therein and a plurality of passages having circumierentially spaced open ends in the plane 01' said valve seat, means for supplying diiferently colored coating materials to said passages under pressure, a movable ele-' ment in said casing having a valve seat in sealing engagement with the valve seat of said casing and having a passage provided with an open end in the plane-t its valve seat, the open end of said movable element passage being selectively registerable with the open ends of said casing passages, a valve for normally closing the passages of said casing in advance of and relieving said valve seats of the pressure of the coating material therein, and valve opening mechanism including a member carried by said movable element and so constructed and arranged as to operate upon the valve oi that passage of said casing with which the valve of said movable element is registered.

5. Selective valve mechanism including a casing having a body portion provided with a plurality of inlet passages, a valve in each passage normally closing the latter, a movable element in said casing having an outlet passage selectively registerable with a portion. of each of said inlet passages on the discharge side of the valve thereof, and means for moving said element for selectively bringing said outlet passage into communication with each of said inlet passages respectively including a valve opening element for operating upon only the valve of that inlet passage which is in communication with said outlet passage at any setting of said element.

8. In coating material spraying apparatus including a spray gun; mechanism for selectively supplying a plurality of different coating materials and a cleaning material to said gun including a member having a plurality of passages for conveying diilerently colored coating materials and a cleaning fluid under pressure, a second member movable relative to said first, member having a passage therein connected with said spray gun and selectively communicatively registerable with said passages of said first member, a valve in each of said first mentioned passages for closing the latter in advance of said second member, means for producing relative movement between said members to initially selectively bring the passage oi. said second member'into communication with one of the passages of said first member, and mechanism operable by said means for opening the valve of the passage of said first member which is in communicative relation to the passage of said second member.

7. Selective valve mechanism for fluid material spraying apparatus including a'body member having a plurality of inlet passages therein for receiving different kinds of fluid material, said body member having a valve seat common to the outlet ends of all of said inlet passages, an individual valve in each oi! said outlet passages in advance of said valve seat for normally closing the latter, a valve member adjacent said body member having a surface engaging said valve seat and having an outlet passage therein adapted for selective communication with the passages of said body member, said body and valve members being relatively movable for selectively bringing the passages thereof into communicative relationship, valve opening mechanism including an operating element mounted on said valve member for selectively registering with the individual valves in said outlet passages of said body member after predetermined relative movement of said body and valve members and adapted to open the valves of said outlet passages, said operating member and the outlet passage of said valve member being so constructed and arranged with respect to each other that when in any one of its positions said operating member registers with and is adapted to open the individual valve 01' that passage of said body member which is disposed in communication with the passage oi said valve member, and means for supplying difterent fluid material compositions to each of said inlet passages respectively.

ALEXANDER M. FLEMING. 

